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POLITICO 44

For years, Tom Coburn’s lectures on spending have been met with aggressive resistance by fellow Republicans who defend their right to send money back to their home states.

But at a closed-door meeting of GOP senators this month, a tirade by the Oklahoman about the hypocrisy of using deficits to decry Democratic health care plans while voting for pumped-up appropriations bills was seconded by several senators.

If there was dissent in the room, no one voiced it.

“I don’t know that there’s another side,” said Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), who argues that Republican rhetoric on deficits is right but the reality isn’t there yet. “We’ve got to start living up to that with the way we vote. ... We’re going to have to start hanging together.”

To be sure, conservatives still find themselves frustrated by what they view as hypocrisy in GOP ranks when it comes to deficits.

One Republican aide recently forwarded a copy of one of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s floor speeches with a passage excoriating deficit spending highlighted. The point was that the Kentucky Republican preaches but doesn’t always practice.

But there are signs that the Republican political winds within the clubby Senate have shifted.

“I’m fresh off a very tough election, and the No. 1 issue was the fact that we’re spending way too much money in Washington,” said Sen. Saxby Chambliss, a Georgia Republican who was forced into a runoff before winning reelection to a second term in 2008.

Chambliss added his voice to those of Coburn and Thune at the Steering Committee session, although he characterized his anti-spending sentiments as more general than Coburn’s.

Conservatives say the episode at the senators-only meeting is just the latest sign that things are moving in their direction — if incrementally.

They have taken note that McConnell has sided with them on a string of votes on amendments to — and final passage of — appropriations bills. Last month, he voted no on the Transportation and Interior spending bills, and he joined the losing side in an effort by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) to prohibit spending on an arts center in Des Moines, Iowa.

It can’t be an easy transition for McConnell, who made his mark in Congress as an appropriator and framed his reelection bid last year around his ability to deliver federal money to Kentucky.

Coburn and his allies may be emboldened by the diminished resistance, conservatives say.

And they may not need much encouragement.

“Tom, of course, speaks with great intensity,” Thune said of Coburn’s challenge to his fellow Republicans.

Coburn was one of six Republicans to vote against the fiscal 2010 Defense appropriations bill on the floor of the Senate. His amendment to reprogram earmarked money in the bill to general operations and maintenance spending garnered 25 votes — 23 of them from Republicans — but the GOP’s appropriators unanimously voted against him.

Democrats also have taken congressional Republicans to task for what they say is hypocrisy on deficits and debt, which is the accumulation of deficits from year to year. But rather than arguing the country is spending far too much on domestic priorities, they tend to focus on Republican tax-cutting under President George W. Bush and spending for the Iraq war.

Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander, who chairs the Republican Conference, calls earmarks a “sideshow” and entitlement spending the “main show.” An appropriator, he argues that Republicans cannot focus their energy on earmarks — the way some of his colleagues, like Coburn, do — and should instead look at reforms to the earmarking system as part of a larger fiscal responsibility push that includes reining in entitlements and cutting back on tax breaks.

He says he doesn’t begrudge Coburn for going after his colleagues.

“I’ve talked to Tom since then,” Alexander said. “Tom is one of our most effective spokesmen on the importance of reining in spending.”

Readers' Comments (45)

Thank you, Senator Coburn! We will be watching these RINO's and Republicans very closely to see what they are spending our hard-earned money on and how much they are spending. Since over .42 cents of every dollar we spend is BORROWED, one would think they would have enough brains to practice restraint without being told. They can be replaced!!

Thank you, Senator Coburn! We will be watching these RINO's and Republicans very closely to see what they are spending our hard-earned money on and how much they are spending. Since over .42 cents of every dollar we spend is BORROWED, one would think they would have enough brains to practice restraint without being told. They can be replaced!!

If conservatives practice fiscal restraint, it will indeed be a breadth of fresh air and one welcome by all.

Let us remember that the GOP + Bush Admin put in place a Medicaid programme that was funded entirely on debt. They started the war in Iraq funded entirely on debt. So for them to cry about defecit is not just a little hipocrisy its a large helping. At least the Dems are trying to fund the Healthcare reform and trying to keep it debt neutral. Its more than GOP has done in the last 9 years.

The Republicans are lost. They swing wildly from Reagan/Bush/Cheney deficits-don't-matter mantra to its opposite extreme, eliminating-deficits-is-all-that-matters mantra. The truth lies between the two extreme views in a complexity too rich for those stuck with bumper-sticker minds. The American people are better off leaving the economy in the hands of the Democrats, for they are the only ones who have a recent record of balancing federal budgets, producing surpluses, and paying down the deficit.

Roameo Party: IndependentReply #5 Oct. 26, 2009 - 7:03 AM ESTThe Republicans are lost. They swing wildly from Reagan/Bush/Cheney deficits-don't-matter mantra to its opposite extreme, eliminating-deficits-is-all-that-matters mantra. The truth lies between the two extreme views in a complexity too rich for those stuck with bumper-sticker minds. The American people are better off leaving the economy in the hands of the Democrats, for they are the only ones who have a recent record of balancing federal budgets, producing surpluses, and paying down the deficit.

This was long before we put a socialist with Czars in the White House and Reid, Pelosi took over House and Senate.

Pork gets people re-elected. People would love to re-elect someone who did or voted for great things for the federal government, U.S. citizenry, and their own states. However, those lofty ideals are frequently at odds with each other. What might be great for a state (a huge contract to a state's company which employs many) might not be so great for the country (a company in a different could do the same job cheaper, or the job doesn't need to be done now).

The Dems are far outspending the GOP in pork, but, since the GOP policing its own is the topic of this article, I'll let that fact pass. It must be stressed, however, that politicians want to be able to tell their constituents how they have won contracts for them. I know a number of people who hate what their representatives stand for, but will vote to re-elect because of the pork their states are receiving. It's hard to fault the voters because of the economic situation we all are facing, today.

I'd like to see senators involved in national affairs, only, and state concerns left to reps, who would work hand in hand with their state governors and district constituents as well as national affairs. Actually, I'd like to see all of Congress deal only with what is best for the country as a whole, and make states responsible for themselves. That way, we would vote for the ideals of our national reps, but, I don't see this happening, unfortunately.

in a way I think the GOP may feel that America is diverse. When this party insist on ignoring minorities, and thinking it's your way or the highway.....Wake up!!!!! Out with the old! In with the new..Perhap try to lend a hand and be inclusive.......Change is hard....Jeez.....Don't take it personal, ok? America is so diverse and i'm glad to embrace it!

Coburn is no different than the hypocrits in the GOP. He assisted Ensign in his crooked activities. It's just another righty hiding behind the bible. Preaching but not following their own playbook. Vote out all the repugnants!

It's important to realize that the issue here is not the pork spending; earmarks are bad, but not for their own sake. They grease the wheels for huge (bad) spending bills. I'm glad that Senator Coburn is being honest. No Republican should be promising his home state federal money anymore. And there is a certain amount of hypocrisy when Republicans claim that the health bill is bad because of overspending, and it's good that a Republican pointed that out.

I also appreciate Senator Alexander's remarks, however: the biggest issue is entitlement spending. Getting rid of earmarks would do a lot for the way that congress operates, but it wouldn't solve the whole problem. Senator Coburn is going after Republican hypocrites, whereas Alexander is going after the big spending problems. Both worthy goals, but I'm glad that someone is reminding Republicans of what they ought to stand for.

WASTEFUL SPENDING FROM OUR GOVERNMENT IS SO STUPID BECAUSE OF The ECONOMY

THIS IS WHAT MAKES THE AMERICAN PEOPLE LOOSE TRUST IN THERE GOVERNMENT TODAY!

THE U.S. CONGRESS GAVE THEMSELVES A PAY INCREASE FOR 2009,

BUT SOCIAL SECURITY PEOPLE DID NOT GET ONE FOR 2009 WHY NOT? PEOPLE ARE MAD ABOUT THIS TOO! A VERY UNINTELLIGENT MOVE FROM THE U.S. CONGRESS!

THERE HAS GOT TO BE A HOLD LOT OF WASTEFUL SPENDING

GOING ON WITH OUR GOVERNMENT! THERE NEEDS TO BE AN AUDIT ON OUR GOVERNMENT SPENDING TO GET RID OF PROGRAMS THAT ARE NOT WORKING FOR THIS COUNTRY TODAY!

SOME PROGRAMS ARE OUT DATED TODAY! WHY HASN'T THIS BEEN DONE IN THE U.S. CONGRESS.

TO SEE WHERE ALL OUR TAX MONEY IS GOING? WHY HASN'T THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY PERFORMED THIS TASK SINCE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR IN CONGRESS ALL I HEARD DUNNING THE ELECTION IS TRANSPARENCE WITH THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION!

THEN AUDIT THIS COUNTRY?

A GOVERNMENT AUDIT ON WASTEFUL SPENDING IN THE UNTIED STATES OF A AMERICA NEED TO BE PERFORMED AFTER THE HEALTH CARE REFORM IS DONE!

I BET YOU WILL FIND MONEY TO TAKE CARE OF OUR HEALTH CARE REFORM!

TO MUCH TAX MONEY IS BEING SENT IN WASHINGTON DC THAT'S NOT ACCOUNTED FOR WHY? WE THE PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW THIS WHERE IS THE MONEY GOING IN LAYMEN TERMS SO WE THE PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND IT BETTER!THAT WOULD BE A GREAT CHANGE FOR THE PEOPLE TODAY!

Seems to me they are all cut from the same cloth. They have the attitude, do as I say and not as I do. Wouldn't it be nice if one of them had the balls to tell Obama to keep his ass in Washington and take care of our business for a complete day instead of trying to wear air force 1 out with a trip every day to give a dumb pep talk.

Seems to me they are all cut from the same cloth. They have the attitude, do as I say and not as I do. Wouldn't it be nice if one of them had the balls to tell Obama to keep his ass in Washington and take care of our business for a complete day instead of trying to wear air force 1 out with a trip every day to give a dumb pep talk.